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When Most Children Are Learning ABCs, This 3-Year-Old Boy Is Already Beating Adults at Chess
Published: 10/12/25
Updated: 28/01/26
At an age when most toddlers are learning colors, letters, or how to tie their shoelaces, one little boy from India has quietly redefined what early childhood can mean.
Meet Sarwagya Singh Kushwaha - a three-year-old from Madhya Pradesh’s Sagar district who has become the youngest player in history to receive an official rating from Fédération Internationale des Échecs (FIDE).
From Crayons to Chess
Sarwagya was just a toddler when his parents introduced him to chess. Initially, it was just a harmless alternative to screen time. In a few months, those quiet evenings of father-son games turned into something extraordinary.
In about six months of structured training plus time playing online and practicing at a local center, his natural curiosity and ability to learn quickly led to something no one expected. By age three, seven months, and 20 days, he competed in official FIDE-rated tournaments. And this was not against other toddlers, but against experienced, rated adult players. He earned a rapid rating of 1572.
To get a FIDE rating, a player must face and score against already rated opponents. Sarwagya didn’t just meet the minimum but he even defeated multiple rated adult opponents in tournaments across Madhya Pradesh and elsewhere.
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A Proud Moment for India
With this achievement, Sarwagya not only becomes a global oddity but also symbolises the growing strength of Indian chess. He broke the record previously held by another 3-year-old, showing how fast the bar is rising.
India has already produced world-class talents; now, with Sarwagya, it seems the next generation might start even earlier.
His parents want to keep things balanced, fun, and pressure-free for now. But if this is what three years old can look like with the right spark and support… who knows where it might lead.
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